Thursday
After arriving and unpacking our stuff, we got Hershey settled in. He was a little unsure of being somewhere new at first, but he quickly warmed up to it. We played with his ball for a little bit and took him outside. We went to eat dinner at a little local place called Firey Ron's BBQ. They gave you some huge BBQ sandwiches. Yummy! Tanger outlet stores were close by to our hotel, so we walked there for a little while.
Friday
Cody got up early in the morning to go to the opening ceremony for the conference. When he got back, we went to browse the streets of downtown Charleston for a while. We went through the open-air market, browsed some of the shops along the streets, and had lunch at Market Street Deli. Cody had to go back to the conference for a board meeting, so I went back to the room to spend some time with Hershey. After he finished we went back to downtown Charleston. We stopped at the cutest doggy bakery to get Hershey some goodies--Drooly Dream peanut butter bar, rrrrRibs, and and Springer Spangle donut. We had dinner reservations for Virginia's on King, where they serve low country cuisine in a somewhat formal setting. Cody tried the famous She-Crab Soup, along with a Cobb salad, and I had baked ham, cream corn, green beans and broccoli. After dinner, we went back to the hotel to get Hershey. The three of us went for a walk in the waterfront park and along rainbow row. Hershey had such a good time, but he was so tired when we were done.
Sweet Grass Baskets at the Market
Browsing the Open-Air Market
Waterfront Park
Mommy, Daddy, and Hershey at Waterfront Park
Rainbow Row
Hershey's Drooly Dream Bar from Three Dogs Bakery
Hershey Eating His Drooly Dream Bar
Saturday
This was quite possibly my favorite day! Cody went to the conference in the morning, but he had the rest of the day free, so we spent the entire day at Middleton Place Plantation. It was beautiful! This was an old rice plantation/garden that was owned by several generations of the Middleton family, many who had important places in history--President of the First Continental Congress, signer of the Declaration of Independence, etc. We toured the gardens, complete with tons of azeleas, camellias, huge live oaks, and ponds, and then walked through the structures on the plantation. The actual plantation house and one side house (used as a music room and library) were destroyed during the Civil War when Union soldiers burned many plantations in SC; however, the ruins of these buildings remained. The guest house and stableyards remained. We took a tour to learn about the African American culture on the plantation, took a carriage ride through the bamboo forest, and toured the guest house, which is now set up with actual furniture from the Middleton families that lived there. It was such a beautiful place, and the weather was perfect!
We returned back to the hotel to check on Hershey and to take him outside for a potty break. Then we went to eat dinner at an Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston, Bocci's. After dinner, we walked downtown some more and bought some pralines to take home. (The store served samples of them while they were warm, and they just melted in your mouth--sooooo good!)
This was quite possibly my favorite day! Cody went to the conference in the morning, but he had the rest of the day free, so we spent the entire day at Middleton Place Plantation. It was beautiful! This was an old rice plantation/garden that was owned by several generations of the Middleton family, many who had important places in history--President of the First Continental Congress, signer of the Declaration of Independence, etc. We toured the gardens, complete with tons of azeleas, camellias, huge live oaks, and ponds, and then walked through the structures on the plantation. The actual plantation house and one side house (used as a music room and library) were destroyed during the Civil War when Union soldiers burned many plantations in SC; however, the ruins of these buildings remained. The guest house and stableyards remained. We took a tour to learn about the African American culture on the plantation, took a carriage ride through the bamboo forest, and toured the guest house, which is now set up with actual furniture from the Middleton families that lived there. It was such a beautiful place, and the weather was perfect!
We returned back to the hotel to check on Hershey and to take him outside for a potty break. Then we went to eat dinner at an Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Charleston, Bocci's. After dinner, we walked downtown some more and bought some pralines to take home. (The store served samples of them while they were warm, and they just melted in your mouth--sooooo good!)
Azeleas at Middleton Place
Reflection Pond at Middleton Place
Cody and Melanie at Middleton Place
Guest House
Ruins of the Plantation House
Sunday
We had such a good time, and it was so nice to get away for a while (this was the closest to a vacation we have had since our honeymoon), neither of us wanted to leave. We had wanted to go to the Tea Plantation, but it was about 45 minutes in the opposite direction, we decided not to go. Instead, we went back to Tanger--this time, Hershey came with us since we had to check out of our hotel. He walked around to the stores with us, and we would take turns sitting with him while the other one shopped. We found some really good deals, so that's always exciting!
Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end....
We had such a good time, and it was so nice to get away for a while (this was the closest to a vacation we have had since our honeymoon), neither of us wanted to leave. We had wanted to go to the Tea Plantation, but it was about 45 minutes in the opposite direction, we decided not to go. Instead, we went back to Tanger--this time, Hershey came with us since we had to check out of our hotel. He walked around to the stores with us, and we would take turns sitting with him while the other one shopped. We found some really good deals, so that's always exciting!
Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end....
We love Charleston! Looks like you guys had a nice time....that is one SPOILED doggy! You need a real baby :) Haha
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